ROB Operation: XMAS
by Pikana
Summary: SMASH KING24s CHRISTMAS CONTEST! It's Christmas day and a certain lonely smasher is confused with the whole Christmas Spirit concept. With most of the friendly smashers gone home will he ever find out? And what's wrong with Samus? EXPLAINATION OF STORY UP
1. ROB: Operation XMAS

R.O.B Operation: X.M.A.S

Hi all! Your Pikachu obessed, insane neighbourhood authoress here! How are you all? Just wishing you all a Merry Christmas and I do hope I win or get some high placing in Smash King24's Christmas Contest! I'm very excited!

Consider this a Christmas present delivered straight from Australia! XD!

So, I don't own SSB or Christmas and I hope you all love my story!!!

_

* * *

_Christmas.

Yes, that's what the others called it; Christmas. A time of joy and childish splendor, a time of good will and a period to show family and friends one's love. But to a certain blende robot, he couldn't do any of that, mainly because he didn't understand any of it.

On the marmoreal balcony leading from one of the mansion's many shared bedrooms, a dark cream figure gleamed as it stood by the edge of it and gazed at the various clusters of bright, shining stars. The figure didn't worry about falling through the large gaps of the balcony, nor did he worry about his roommates sneaking up to him; which would have caused him to dive into the sharp rose bushes below. He wasn't even afraid about letting the right handed glove entity known as Master Hand coming in and yelling at the figure about the night curfew because of this one small holiday that he didn't understand.

Christmas. Well… apparently it was more like Christmas Eve which was also more commonly known as December 24th.

The figure adjusted his mirror-like eyes to further observe the luminous orbs and gave out a mechanical sigh. Openly, he shuddered and saved a note for him to never try doing the difficult gesture that he had picked up from the other residents of the luxurious Super Smash Brothers Mansion. It was another of the many humanoid gestures the robot had picked up to seem more friendly and realistic to the others. The tactics never worked on any of the other smashers as they treated him neutrally or like the villain he once was; with the exception of a 2D figure Mr. Game and watch, who was treated in a similar fashion.

He sat in silence, allowing his sound detectors to take in the tiny noises of the rare cricket chirping and even the soft landing of the delicate snow onto the ground. The little night's music that made the night's star gazing that little part more beautiful.

The smasher turned around and looked up into the stars, he didn't know what compelled him to look up, but when he did he saw a translucent blue shooting star pass through the inky blackness of the sky and the lights of the other stars that now seemed dim in comparison. The tail that was left trailing behind the object was glowing in beautiful rainbow colours as it passed over the mansion. It was quite curious to see the phenomenon. The shooting star was unrecorded, scientists didn't have it announced that there would be something so pure and magnificent out that night.

The smasher didn't complain, he just stared at it and wondered for a bit. Would making a wish on a star really come true? It seemed so illogical to the robot but it simply didn't hurt to try so he closed his visual lens and tried to make a wish that he had seen in the drama shows that some of the others watched on the weekends.

"I wish…" the figure started but stopped midsentence. He did want to make friends and to be accepted but would that be what he wanted to wish for? He would rather make associates because he was himself, not because some silly wish on a ball of flaming ice rock. Even if it didn't come true, everyone took wishes seriously so he had to think of something that he really wanted to wish for. After all, shooting stars like the one he saw do not appear everyday.

"I wish…" he started again. "I wish that I understood this Christmas holiday season. I understand the origins of this holiday but I don't understand the motivation behind it," he quickly decided and called out. He was careful what he wished for and he did want it to come true but he wasn't sure if he was being too specific. So the snow covered figure looked up and saw the beautiful star passing away until it was out of sight. He waited for the wish to come true and yet, it didn't. No new information began flooding his mind or understanding into his heart drive. After a few tenacious moments of waiting, the robotic smasher sighed once again and listened to the vintage grandfather clock chime the stroke of midnight.

With another sad look at the dark night's sky, the cream, bulky figure shook itself to dispose of the fallen, near-invisible snowflakes and rolled back inside the warm bedroom. The figure shut the glass doors and the thick red curtains before rolling over to his side of the room and plugged his revitalizing cord into the white power socket to recharge for the night.

"Merry Christmas…" the robot muttered to the empty beds of his room mates before he shut himself down for the night.

But while the smasher was recharging, he didn't notice some of the trailing colours behind the shooting star fall into the light of the mansion as it passed over it on that very early Christmas morning.

* * *

"R.O.B? R.O.B… R.O.B!"

At the final yell, the robotic operating buddy slowly booted up his system. The metal in his wires crackled as his body began to heat up and finally allow his brain to go online. After a quick scan of his body, the creature known as R.O.B. opened his visual lens only to shut them again at the bright light of the sunlight glaring into the room. He wasn't ready for the rays yet and didn't he close the curtains last night?

Mustering up every bit of bravery against the wretched beaming sun, R.O.B opened his eyes in a half squint before opening it fully and giving a small yelp. The late morning sun wasn't that bad actually, mainly because, despite the initial brightness attack, it was fairly cloudy outside and flakes of snow were falling even lighter then the night before. What made R.O.B yelp though, was a large, orange clad figure standing inside his room.

"Where's the fire?" asked the dazed and confused robot as he checked his internal clock. Only seven O'clock… at least his battery was charged for the day. R.O.B looked at the armored smasher in front of him, who was emitting a pleasant glow from the bright green visor placed in the centre of the matching orange helmet.

"There's no fire R.O.B," the covered smasher warmly answered "I just came to wish you a Merry Christmas… and by the way, your door was unlocked." R.O.B shut his visual lens and opened them again before looking at the head-taller orange one with an embarrassed hint of red in his usually midnight black eyes.

"Scanning for the right words to say…" the robot said before placing his squarish claws onto where his vocal projectors were. The suit's giant orange shoulder's wiggled as the smasher gave a small laugh and crouched the highly advanced suit down to where the green visor lined up with R.O.B's rectangular head.

"Well you could try a 'Merry Christmas Samus.'"

"Well you could try a 'Merry Christmas Samus.'" R.O.B repeated cleverly in Samus' own voice. He had used his voice recorder and replayed it to release a perfect imitation of Samus from his voice projector. At first, Samus looked shocked but soon enough she gave a hearty and unusual laugh that sounded… well natural.

Samus wasn't an emotionless or cold but she often didn't share her feelings with anyone most days because they brought up bad memories. Something was definitely strange about her, as far as R.O.B could tell, in her cheeriness.

"Come on R.O.B, where's your Christmas spirit?" she asked as she stood up again. The NES originated robot stared at her with his two dark eyes and questioned Samus as he was obviously puzzled with her question.

"What's Christmas spirit?" he questioned, confused.

Samus Aran, who had begun making her way towards the cherry oak door, stopped reaching for the brass doorknob and turned around back to R.O.B in surprise, leaving the large door to the long corridor wide open. A small breeze passed into the room as Samus took two steps to come back to R.O.B.

"You never heard of Christmas spirit?" she asked incredulously. The cream colored robot shook his head without a word and the Varia suited one began to wonder to herself on how she could answer the question that he had asked. In the two minutes that it took for the orange armour to think, R.O.B logically deduced and made up a theory for the mysterious reason for why Samus seemed some upbeat and perky today.

This Christmas spirit thing.

"Well…" Samus started awkwardly. The robot perked his head up and Samus tilted her head in almost a slow and apologetic manner. "I've only celebrated this holiday twice, here in the mansion… because I'm usually too busy hunting aliens." She stopped but R.O.B understood what she had meant as he had the privilege to look at Master Hand's private files to check the histories of each character in the mansion.

R.O.B was snapped out from reading the stored logs in his mind when Samus began speaking to him again, the light orange helmet distorting her voice mechanically and giving it a slight echo as she did so.

"Well… Christmas spirit is…" she started again before pausing.

"Is…" the smaller robot continued for her.

"Well… it's a really happy day but…" Samus started, her voice sounding a bit more upbeat.

"Be happy for that one day? But if it is only for the event, it cannot be real happiness." The robot stated. Samus gave another chuckle and patted the robot on his head.

"Oh R.O.B… I didn't mean it like that… the world doesn't forget its problems on Christmas. Christmas is a beautiful time to realize your problems, but celebrate life, joy, love and happiness in spite of your problems. That's what makes it so special and it's not just one day, it's a whole season."

"Ahhh… and is that the spirit of is?"

"Not quite but I won't spoil the surprise. You're a smart robot R.O.B so if I show you then you'll understand." Her voice sounded kind and yet… it sounded like the two were about to play a game which puzzled the robot slightly.

"Does that mean you are spending the next few hours with me?" R.O.B asked.

"No… if you don't mind, I'd like to spend the entire day with you," she asked, waiting for R.O.B to deny or accept her offer.

R.O.B didn't have to be asked again, at first, the robotic buddy was astonished and slightly suspicious. Why would Samus… the Samus Aran want to spend the entire day with him? But the robot soon suddenly came to a peculiar solution. She was lonely on this holiday. To the ex-ancient minister, the answer was unlikely, yet it was the 'only logical explanation' his mind could process.

Most of the other smashers had left back to their worlds to spend time with their loved ones for the holidays. From the Mario brothers and their princess back to the Mushroom Kingdom to Olimar who flew home back to his wife and children. There weren't many smashers who had stayed behind and R.O.B knew that Samus didn't feel any strong feelings to any of them. Therefore Samus needed and wanted some company, despite her not wanting to admit it. With the hypothesis planted in his head, he replied to Samus: "No Samus, it's alright, I'd like you to show me as much of this holiday spirit as possible." The orange suited figure looked up at the small robot and waved her hand for her fellow smasher to follow her to the first activity they would perform together.

* * *

"According to my quick observation of the internet, this tradition was supposed to be performed in the previous month leading unto now. May I ask Miss Aran; why we are performing this Christmas ritual now?" the cybertronic organism asked as he investigated the thick forest's towering and natural skyscrapers.

"Because; it's to help you get started on the holiday cheer." The woman said as she faced a tree and nodded at it. It was absolutely perfect. The pine was shockingly fragrant, as if it had been in bloom only yesterday.

"And old Master Cheapskate didn't think it was profitable to have one this year with the lack of our friends' presences..." muttered Samus under her echo visor. R.O.B let out a synthesized chuckle as Samus nodded her head in a final confirmation and began charging her plasma shot.

"Samus… what is the purpose of blasting the base of a Pinus Longaeva?" R.O.B asked, as she fired the light blue ball at the foundation of the tree. With a loud rumble, the tree shuddered and begun falling to the snow covered floor, both robotic smashers saw, through the twinkling white snowflakes, the tree hit the ground with a loud thud.

"There's no point in just blasting stuff R.O.B… especially on the holidays. Though the purpose of it is… well decorating the Christmas Tree." she said beckoning to the fallen piece of wood. R.O.B made a mental note to research the purpose of decorating the tree when he got back into range of the Smash Mansion wireless connection if Samus didn't tell him later.

R.O.B began to pick up the large tree before a small projectile smashed into the back of his rectangular head. The NES robot spun around to look for the perpetrator, with his eye laser ready to be fired, only to see Samus chuckling and a warm rise of steam emitting from her left green arm cannon.

"Sorry R.O.B… I couldn't help it but you looked so serious." She said as she picked up a lump of dirty snow, she began to roll it into a sphere. The confused look that was planted on his face showed that the reformed robot had absolutely no idea why the woman had tossed a wet, cold snowball into his head.

"It's a game R.O.B… a game. Basically we have to throw these snowballs at each other and…" but before she could, a small snow cube was thrown at her helmet. R.O.B looked a bit amused and begun making another one while Samus begun loading her arm cannon with more snowballs. The little robot threw another two at the bounty huntress but she rolled into her morphball and rolled away, leaving a small trench into the snow.

"I feel… a… tingling inside me because of this activity. Should we stop?"

Samus didn't reply, instead she fired a volley of snowballs at R.O.B, a few hit the robot, but he managed to roll away against most of them and take refuge behind a thick tree. R.O.B gave a small, internal smile and begun making some more of his snow cubes which resembled more of demented ovals.

"No! That's how you're supposed to feel!" Samus said as R.O.B came out and looked for her, she too was concealed behind a tree.

"Well I like it! Let's do it again!"

"Okay! Eat snowball R.O.B!" she said firing more large snowballs at R.O.B as she leapt from behind a tree.

"I can't eat at all!" he laughed as the balls were fired onto his body. He managed to hit Samus a few times as she hit the ground but the two were still enjoying themselves.

Not long afterwards, Samus and R.O.B. began to craft all manner of snow objects. They created a snow man that stood an impressive twelve feet high, built an igloo (out of a nearby lake's ice) that would have made the two Ice Climbers proud, and had several more exciting snowball fights. Hours passed, and the Varia suited warrior began to feel exhausted, so she decided to show R.O.B. the wonders of snow angels.

"Phew," sighed Samus as she laid on the layers of snow, which had thickened considerably during the few hours they had been playing. She outstretched her arms and then swept her arms back and forth as well as her legs, creating a trough through the snow. R.O.B stood over her and looked curiously at the actions of the Metroid destroyer.

"Come on R.O.B, join me!" she laughed, as she waved her arms up and down. If R.O.B could see through her visor, he imagined he would have seen a beaming smile.

It just looked like so much fun. Throwing yourself onto the soft snow and waving your arms and legs around like a little kid. And it was so appropriate. Snow so white and pure and gleaming, making even the dirtiest city look clean and beautiful. It was like an angel itself. Despite his lack of legs, R.O.B slid near Samus and began making a snow angel. He was swinging his arms up and down, copying the woman next to him and swaying the hexagonal, bottom half of his body as best as he could to create the angel similar to the one he had seen Princess Peach watch on her crappy (in Samus' opinion) TV Christmas specials.

"That's how you do it R.O.B," complimented Samus as she got up and brushed the snow away from her Varia Suit. Curious to see how his little creation turned out, the robot slowly got out of sleet and gazed at the two different prints fixed in the snow. The movement of Samus' arms had formed wings, and that of the legs having formed a gown, R.O.B's one looked a bit more humorous, with shorter wings and a much stranger looking gown. The head of the snow angel looked more like a log hit the snow than a head.

"They're very pretty Samus."

"You make a good impression R.O.B… very good impressions," the orange clad woman said. R.O.B tilted his head. Was that a mistake? Did she say he made good impressions? Didn't he only make a single imprint in the frozen water?

"Uhhh… Miss Aran?" the smaller robot asked, but Samus didn't hear, or ignored, his question. She just turned around and headed towards the blasted tree that had been on the ground collecting snow. Grabbing the trunk of the tree with her Varia suit enhanced hand; she picked it up and began dragging it towards to the elaborate Smash Mansion.

"Come on R.O.B," she said, sounding like she was still in her consistent good mood. "We might as well get this hunk of wood back to the mansion."

"Yes…" the Wall-E look-a-like responded as he rolled his way over to the back of the tree, still wondering on Samus' mistake, and grabbed the frosty green leaves. Together, the two robots dragged the large Christmas tree over to the mansion.

* * *

Using his artificial scent detectors, R.O.B took in the aroma of a tasty Christmas meal. The dirty white robot had never tasted food before because… he was a robot, but he did have a good idea what were delicious scents and what weren't. He was actually a bit surprised that Samus hadn't gone to eat the lunch cooked by Mr. Game and Watch and Captain Falcon, (who oddly was a great chef) but he assumed that she had a very hearty breakfast.

The bounty huntress had gone to get something from the storage closet, but she had promised to be back and not to desert him. R.O.B did have a few trust issues ever since Ganondorf destroyed his friends during the events of Subspace Emissary, but he had a strange feeling his hard drive to let Samus go and do what she needed.

He stood there, observing the dining room where the two had put up the Christmas Tree. The small amounts of tinsel about the place gave R.O.B a warm feeling in his circuits and the table cloth that Mr. Game and Watch had set up gave the same feeling. The robot gave a cheery wave as the familiar 2D man bustled into the room with a few salt and pepper shakers. The black figure gave a wave back to the friendly robot after placing the shakers on the table. He then began cart wheeling back into the large kitchen in fear of Crazy Hand whacking him to China for stuffing up the thick Christmas stew again.

R.O.B waited again in silence, trying to figure out the Christmas Spirit thing that had led to the first fun events today. He racked his adaptable brain and tried to think the Christmas holiday out. He did get the fact that it was all fun and games but Samus seemed to hint there was something more… special hidden behind it.

R.O.B didn't get enough time to get an answer as Samus returned, still clad in her Varia Suit, with a large cardboard box in her hands. She placed it down with a loud 'thud' and straightened herself to see R.O.B properly.

"So… this is a really old Christmas tradition, dating back to years before even Yoshi was born… and he's a dinosaur," Samus said cheerily. As she opened the box, R.O.B rolled over to the box to peer at the variety contents.

"What are all these knickknacks?" asked R.O.B, pulling out some Christmas lights and placed them on his head. Samus laughed and looked at the unlit fireplace, swiftly she pulled out her arm cannon and shot a bolt of plasma to light the dry wood within. The fire roared to life and the room was instantly filled with bright warmth.

"Much better…" Samus said as she blew the smoke from her arm cannon. "Now, this is what you call Christmas tree decorations. What you have on your head are some Christmas lights which we have to put on the tree."

"Easy," R.O.B said as he tried to untangle himself from the lights. What he was left with was a tangled mess covering his body and mixing with a few of his unimportant circuits. Samus gave a giggle while R.O.B laughed and tried to convulse out of the tangled mess.

"Well… not easy as computed."

"R.O.B… wait… let me help you," Samus giggled again as she held him and began spinning him around. It didn't take long for her to expertly free him with one single hand; R.O.B held his shaking head in place while the huntress took the lights and used her morphball technique to get to the top of the tree. Staying in a tiny ball, she rolled down around the tree in a spiral, placing the lights as she came closer and closer to the bottom.

"Wow," said R.O.B as he saw the tree being covered with the lights impressively. At the bottom, Samus tied the light to a branch and got out of the ball.

"Well… that's how I roll, R.O.B," she said, stretching her back. R.O.B chuckled again, clearly enjoying himself and took out a small round Christmas bauble and handed it to the huntress. Taking it from the robot, she placed it on the tree by its handle. She then picked up another one and begun hanging it on another part of the Christmas tree.

The robot quickly caught on the activity and began taking items out of the box and placing them on the Christmas tree. Samus smiled and nodded as the cream mechanical one placed more ornaments at the bottom of the tree. Taking a step ladder, Samus started hanging the beautiful ornaments closer to the top of the tree.

For what seemed like an eternity, it was nothing but silence between the two as they hung the delicate and pretty decorations. The crackling of the fire and the cloudiness of the outside windows made the room have a more, warm and roomy feel which caused R.O.B's hard drive to overheat slightly and he definitely knew it wasn't because of the room's heat, as he could sit inside a fire without a single mark on him.

Before R.O.B could contemplate this strange feeling, he heard something buzzing. Peering over a few branches, he looked at where the sounds were coming from. It was coming from inside the Varia suit, a faint humming tune with a few passable sounds for words coming out. It was very sweet and R.O.B enjoyed it.

"What are you singing?" he asked innocently.

"Well… I don't sing."

"Nonsense… what you were doing was very lovely." R.O.B complimented.

"They were just Christmas songs. It's nothing special…" Samus said, sounding a bit strange. R.O.B tilted sideways and Samus looked into his round black eyes and shrugged. "They're just songs that we sing around Christmas time."

"Like this one?" asked R.O.B as he made up a few words to the tune Samus was making. "Oh bring us some electric diodes, oh bring us electric diodes, oh bring us electric diodes and a new gyrosphere!" Samus laughed and relaxed her uptight shoulders before continuing to hang up the various ornaments, using her arm cannon's grabbing feature to save the time of her going up and down the step ladder.

"Will you sing for me again?"

If Samus had her helmet off, was sure he would have seen her eyes widen in surprise but she did nod, to the ex-ancient minister's surprise. R.O.B listened with his eyes closed as he hung up a little ribbon, listening to the fierce huntress humming before singing softly, like the delicate Nightingales that sung outside the mansion during the warm Spring.

_"Have yourself a merry little Christmas, let your heart be light. From now on, our troubles will be out of sight"_

It was very mesmerizing. R.O.B listened intriguingly as he tried to reach another ornament with his eyes closed, to take and acknowledge the voice. He may not be able to have a chance to listen to such sweet melody again.

_"Have yourself a merry little Christmas, make the Yule-tide gay. From now on, our troubles will be miles away."_

It did feel like his friend troubles had disappeared, and it was as if his dirty history had been washed clean. For someone who didn't sing, she was pretty good.

_"Here we are as in olden days, Happy golden days of yore. Faithful friends, who are dear to us, gather near to us once more."_

Yes… Samus was a good friend to the little robot, but was it only for Christmas? For this Christmas season only? Or was she a faithful friend? The thought of Samus walking away tore at his hard drive and made him mad. No… she wouldn't do that… no one could feign being that kind like she had been doing for the day. In his thoughts, R.O.B had stopped putting decorations on, but it wasn't like that the tree needed it. The two had been making very slow but steady progress.

_"Through the years we all will be together, if the Fates allow. Hang a shining star upon the highest bough and have yourself… A merry little Christmas now."_

She finished the song as she hung the second last ornament. The tree was beautifully coloured now and it glistened with nothing but beauty. R.O.B had to admire their work but there was one problem with the tree…

"Samus… isn't the top a little bare?" asked the android. The orange helmet was shaken and Samus stepped down from the ladder and took out the last item from the box, an angelic, golden five pointed star.

"Do you want to put it up?" asked the alien trapper. The little machine nodded but looked at the step ladder. It wasn't big enough for the considerably smaller robot to reach the top so he improvised and used his Robo burner. Higher and higher he went up to the top of the tree, clutching the star as he went. He hovered around the top and carefully placed it on the top perfectly. If he had a mouth, he would have smiled at his accomplishment.

Then… the Robo booster ran out of fuel.

"Uh oh…" R.O.B said as he fell down to the floor. Without the reassuring simulator to protect him from real damage, R.O.B was prone to breaking. Then he was a fragile NES robot very high up, falling towards a hard, wooden floor.

R.O.B saw his life flash before his eyes, there wasn't much actually. Only his creation, rise to power, the events of Subspace Emissary and his life in the Smash Mansion, there wasn't much to live and die for... was there? There was someone who appeared in his higher-brain circuitry, but he couldn't get the image before…

He fell and heard a loud clunk but yet he felt no damage on his body. Looking up he saw the glowing green visor of Samus staring down at him.

"Next year… I'm hanging the Christmas star," she stated flatly. R.O.B nodded from her arms, looking more like a gurgling infant than a proud smasher but he didn't want to go down.

'Probably because of the snow from earlier, messed with my circuits.' R.O.B thought as he looked back at Samus awkwardly. The orange suited woman shrugged her giant shoulders and placed the machine down.

"Uhhh… Thank you for saving me Ms. Aran."

"No problem R.O.B… can't have you killed can I?"

"I certainly hope not…"

"Here, let's light the Christmas lights," said Samus as she placed R.O.B down. The blonde walked away and flicked a small, dark blue switch. Red, green, blue and gold lights sparkled on and began to flash on and off, again she walked over and she then turned off the dining room lights which allowed the room to be only illuminated by the tree's bulbs and the orange and red flames from the spitting fire place. Outside was a devilish grey, nearly a midnight black, which only accented the Christmas tree's beauty. But the two didn't have much time to admire it…

"YOU DAMNED 2D FIGURE! YOU BURNT IT!" came a yell from the kitchen followed by frantic beeps. "I DON'T CARE! **FALCON PUNCH!"**

Out of the door flew Mr. Game and Watch, a bit burning, and he soared and crashed through the window and landed into the snow. R.O.B and Samus looked at each other and listened to the cursing of Captain Falcon.

"You wanna go?" asked Samus.

"Yeah…" said the cream robot. Blinking twice, the two smashers looked at each other for a split second and then bolted out of the room, not wishing to have a flaming Falcon Punch to their faces even with their armour on.

* * *

"The snowstorm must have knocked out the power. But I'm sure we can both still see…" Samus said as she tested the light switch. The two were now in the secluded ballroom, decorated earlier by Peach alone in Christmas colours, and standing in the centre of the white room, illuminated only by candles. They were standing alone in silence, nothing disturbed it but the sound of the machine parts working.

"Hey R.O.B…"

"Mmmmm?"

"During Christmas there's a tradition that we give each other presents and… and I have something for you," Samus suddenly said out of the blue.

The bitty robot just blinked twice. Presents? Wow, this Christmas thing seemed to get more interesting every time, even when he thought it couldn't. The robot nodded while the strange acting huntress continued.

"So Christmas Spirit is about commercialism? Getting gifts?" the R.O.B leader asked. Samus shook her head giving another quite laugh as she did so and then gave a smile with her visor, allowing it to glow a bit more.

"Alright, first of all, it is not just about gifts, the gifts are to show your appreciation to another. It's about being with the people you love and your family…" Samus started before stopping. Wrong words to say as neither of the two did have a family. Another awkward silence passed the two, both of them wrapped up in their few sober memories of their families. R.O.B and his robot friends and who R.O.B assumed to be the Chozo and her parents in Samus' case.

But there was something else that was making R.O.B curious. As the hours passed, Samus seemed to grow more out of character, if it was even possible, than the morning. As if she was losing or gaining something. Maybe he should ask…

The two then wordlessly began slowly creeping out of the ballroom. Samus then stopped her bulky suit and made R.O.B pause when they heard two pairs of footsteps go past the room. For the umpteenth time today, R.O.B was confused.

"What's with the secrecy?" the cream robot whispered looking up at Samus to see something hanging from the two large white doors: a green plant with little white spheres on it tied with a red ribbon. Tapping on Samus' legs, the Robotic Operating Buddy pointed up for the huntress to look. Upon doing so, the bounty hunter gasped.

"Is it dangerous?" asked R.O.B fearfully. The helmet of the Varia suit came to his eye level as Samus squatted and shook her head.

"Well… somewhat. That's mistletoe R.O.B; according to a custom of Christmas cheer, any two people who meet under a hanging of mistletoe are… obliged to kiss"

"Right…" said R.O.B nervously as he tapped his neck and nodded. Kiss? He didn't have lips! Would Samus want to kiss him anyway? They were just friends…

"Right… better get this over with." Samus said as she leaned in closer. R.O.B then realized she wasn't going to take off her helmet, just kiss him through it. He thought that would be okay if she just allowed her helmet to touch the area between his eyes even though why he wondered why she hadn't taken off her helmet. Then R.O.B came to a realization, she hadn't eaten or taken off her suit for the entire day. Samus usually made a point to polish the Varia Suit and let it rest at a certain time everyday… something seemed wrong.

Then… R.O.B felt his higher-brain circuitry malfunctioning and over-heat as the soft touch of metal was felt where his voice synthesizer was present and an unidentified impulse sped through his processors. He felt a trembling but he let his cubed hands touch Samus' helmet head and hang there for a few minutes.

Then they broke away, R.O.B swearing that if he had blood, it would have been rushing to his face. His processors were still having an impulse sped through them as he watched the Varia Suit stand up and look away. Another inappropriate amount of silence passed the two as R.O.B attempted to steady his circuits. It was just, a friendly, Christmas tradition that made him feel… oddly happy. That seemed what it felt like. Joy and… was it spirit? He was about to ask Samus but he was soon interrupted by her speech.

"Uhhh… I'm going to get you your present okay? I'll be back soon so… stay here!" Samus said quickly as she rigidly walked out of the room. R.O.B stood there in silence, before rolling off. Samus considered R.O.B as a friend to get her a gift; he had nothing in his possession that would be good to give her materialistically but he had something else that he thought she might like. It did mention it briefly in her log.

* * *

It was only five minutes before both of the smashers returned. R.O.B got back first, due to his room being closer. He tucked his two secret weapons away in the darkened corners of the ballroom and he waited. During the day's events, it had been like he had almost forgotten the question he had asked, save for the few minutes that the two actually talked about it, but he still wondered what Christmas Spirit was.

His thoughts were once again interrupted by the arrival of Samus walking in, still clad in her Varia Suit, with a small wrapped box at hand and gave it to R.O.B. The robot accepted it and looked at Samus.

"Merry Christmas R.O.B… I hope that you've enjoyed the day…" she said as she took a step back and looked away. R.O.B checked his internal clock… wow, it was later than he had thought, 11:45p.m. Only 15 minutes left of Christmas.

"Thank you Samus… I shall treasure it," said R.O.B honestly, after all… it was first present since his creation to be the Ancient Minister. When Samus didn't respond, he began to remove the green and red wrapper carefully, as if it was the blanket of a sleeping child. He opened the box inside to reveal a small amulet in a pale gold and silver colour that seemed to shimmer in the flickering candle light. Turning it over, R.O.B found his initials hand-engraved into it except the 'O' in his name was replaced by a smash ball.

"Wow…" he said as he slipped it on. "Thank you Samus… for everything." He checked his internal clock… 10minutes to midnight; he still had time to give her his gift. "I'd like to thank you for today but as I only learnt of the present exchange a few minutes ago, I could not give you a present but if you could please wait I do have something else."

"You didn't…" Samus started before R.O.B rolled away into the shadows, Samus peered into darkness and laughed as he came out. It looked like he had attached legs on himself, legs with roller-skates. From her chest height, his face now came to hers.

"It's my ROB LGS from my Mario kart days," he said as he pressed a button. Soft and slow music emitted from the side wall where the speakers were hooked up to a DJ system and the music seemed to perk Samus' robotic head up.

"May I have this dance?" He asked, bowing low and offering his hand. He had hoped that the suspiciously placed logs in the Smash Mansion were still accurate. He had read the various diary entries of small Samus Aran before she was a bounty hunter, wishing she could have a waltz with a handsome prince and hoped that she still had that dream. True, he was no Prince Marth, and he was very afraid of rejection for some reason, but at least he could try.

Thankfully, she accepted his hand and took up a stiff stance. When the bars of the music seemed right they proceeded with the elegant dance.

It was shaky at first, with R.O.B rolling on Samus' covered foot several times (and leaving a bit of oil) as they circled around in circles. They went faster, and soon, they whirled gracefully along the black tiles, swaying to the violin's macabre dance. It was a sight indeed, and R.O.B felt… really happy. Christmas, how special it seemed, he didn't experience so many emotions before and not the usual robotic ones programmed to his heart. No sorrow, no rage, no guilt and no hate. Just happiness and excitement that had never been experienced before. Not to this extent.

The two were silent, taking in the music and the long dance. R.O.B wrapped up in the moment. So this was what Christmas Spirit was all about: seeing other people happy and having that warm feeling that he wanted to share that happiness back. There was so much more that he felt, he almost felt like the others in the house for the first time.

He wanted to speak again, thank Samus one last time before the grandfather clock chimed the stroke of midnight. The first ring and Christmas had ended. There was something wrong though… R.O.B could feel it as Samus jerked away from him. Giving the robot a hug, the bounty huntress fled the scene.

"Merry Christmas R.O.B! I promise I'll be here next year!" she yelled as she ran out of the room. Confused, the robot used his powered LGS to speed after her. Why would Samus leave now? Just because Christmas had ended didn't mean she had to leave, right?

R.O.B rolled even faster as he heard the fifth chime of midnight. He could tell that she was heading to her room… but why? The machine never got his answer when he felt a bump on his tires and he went crashing towards the maroon carpet.

"Watch where you are going!" yelled a gruff voice. R.O.B easily recognized the voice, despite the disappearance of the mechanical undertone.

"I'm sorry Samus; I was worried when you ran off…"

"Wait? When did she run off?" asked a voice from the shadows. Opening a fist, the figure used the aura to illuminate the area. From the glow of the sparkling blue orb, R.O.B saw Samus, in her light blue zero suit and Lucario with a puzzled look on the canine's face. "How could she have run off from you? She was with me the whole day in the basement with the assist trophies."

"Pardon me but…" R.O.B started before he stopped. He could still hear it underneath the last few chimes of the slow grandfather clock. The sounds of Samus' Varia suit on the corridor above and the slam of her bedroom door. Without another word, R.O.B kicked off the R.O.B LGS and sped after the Varia suit wearer. If Samus hadn't been wearing the suit then who had been? Who was the one who lied to him but made him so happy at the same time? He had to find out. Flying up the stairs, the robot bolted and knocked onto the locked door of Samus' bedroom. The final ring of midnight had gone minutes ago.

"Geeze R.O.B what the hell is up with you?" Samus asked as she and Lucario came up the stairs after him.

"Samus, I have reason to believe someone has broken into your room and stolen your fighting suit." The robot said, making a lie up quickly.

"Rubbish… nothing can get past my security system," she said, clearly irritated that she knew she wasn't going to get sleep until she had confirmed it with the amulet wearing robot. To prove her point, she reached and opened up the door with her card key. The second the wooden door swung open, R.O.B bounded into the darkness, it took only a few seconds for Lucario to come in and illuminate the room. Samus' room was spotless and clean, nothing on the floor and limited posters on her walls and bookshelves. The only thing that really stood out in the room was the transparent glass tube in the wall of the room, with the deactivated Varia suit held inside, and a glowing silver and green pad next to it.

"My security system runs on its own power," Samus stated as she walked over to the keypad and allowed R.O.B to see the state of the art technology. "Look… the glass hasn't been broken and the scanner hasn't been hacked at. There are only two hand prints it accepts. My one whether in my Zero Suit or my bare hand and the unique structure of the Varia suit."

R.O.B blinked. He was convinced that it was Samus that had seen him today and yet, some of the revelations in the last five minutes were pointing that he was mistaken. Was the whole day just a figment of his imagination? Maybe a prank by some unruly fighting alloy?

Sadly looking up, R.O.B examined the suit that he had found so much friendship with through the day. Examining it thoroughly from the oil covered toes to the helmet, remembering everything that occurred. He felt like he could have just been frozen like that for an eternity until he saw a familiar green glow from the visor. Taking a step closer, he touched the glass with his painted red hand and as he did so, his Christmas present tingled on his upper. With his eyes he gave a small smile to the suit.

"Merry Christmas Samus… see you next year."

And, unnoticed, the star's light left the Smash Mansion.

* * *

REVIEW MY FRIENDS! ALL OF YOU!!!

I'd like to thank: Kami of the Silver Flame for being my awesome Beta reader, my brothers who motivated me to finish this, the members of the Society of Smashing Fiction for their support and to all of you who have really made me happy and supported me through Fanfiction.

I love you all and have a very Merry Christmas!

With love and good tidings,

Pikana

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P.S. REVIEW! Before looking at the next author's note chapter. That's only if you want the author's explaination of what had happened.


	2. Author's note

Okay people! Since... this morning, I have a few confusions on who or what was celebrating Xmas with ROB.

For a start, I'm sorry that I didn't make it clear that ROB did actually celebrate it with someone and didn't go bonkers: the events of the mansion did happen as proven by the Christmas Tree and his Christmas present.

You can either enterprate this as the shooting star's magic made the suit come to life or the star possessed the suit. Personally I opt for the first option but it doesn't really matter to be honest. Just trying to clear things up. Just because no one was in the suit, doesn't mean that it was just a hollow story... there was no meaning... right? ;)

Any questions, queries or concerns can be sent to me in a review for any of my stories.

Well... can't say Merry Christmas anymore so HAPPY BELATED NEW YEAR!

_-Pikana_


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